The video was produced by Next Media Animation and features Sidney Crosby and two other players who look to be Tampa Bay Lightning forward Steven Stamkos and Maple Leafs winger Phil Kessel. Gary Bettman and Donald Fehr also make appearances in the video with Bettman being portrayed as the personification of evil.

The piece, titled “NHL Lockout: Rollercoaster ride continues,” begins with the players on a rollercoaster that is suddenly derailed by a giant iPhone — a reference to the NHL leaving Steve and Donald Fehr a voicemail to reject the NHLPA’s latest offer. Bettman is also seen driving a Zamboni and wielding a vacuum as a weapon.

Check it out in this bizarre, yet accurate, video detailing the lockout.

Shortly before the scheduled kickoff on Thursday night, a Raiders fan reportedly jumped from the third level of the Oakland Coliseum and is now listed in serious condition at a local hospital, according to the Oakland Tribune. The fan’s name has not been released at this time.

The Raiders released a statement via NBC Bay Area on Twitter.

Statement from Oakland Raiders on fall: "While we do not yet have any information beyond that which has been publicly reported, ...

—
NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) December 07, 2012

our thoughts and prayers are with this gentleman and his family and friends." Man is in serious condition. Was transported to the hospital.

—
NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) December 07, 2012

This is just the most recent in a rash of incidents involving fans being injured — or in the case of one Texas Rangers fan, killed — from falls at professional sports stadiums. On Saturday, a fan fell over 40 feet from the fourth-floor ramp at the Georgia Dome during the ACC championship game between Georgia Tech and Florida State.

Robert Griffin III

Griffin has elevated the Redskins to must-watch status in the NFL with his rare blend of athleticism and football IQ while also being one of the most marketable athletes in the sport. In Washington, though, Griffin has a few contemporaries who could lay claim to the title of D.C.’s favorite son. Nationals pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg and the Capitals’ electric Alex Ovechkin are favorites, and Wizards budding star John Wall can also make a case — if he can get on the court.

Griffin is on pace for some pretty impressive numbers in his first season, particularly through the air. His 17-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and 67.1 percent completion percentage put him ahead of not only his fellow rookies but also many established quarterbacks in terms of efficiency. His production on the ground, which was expected to be high, will likely top the 1,000-yard mark before season’s end. His versatility makes him a player the Redskins can rely on to build fan support in coming years.

The success of Griffin comes on the heels of an impressive summer for the Nationals, who won their first National League East division title since moving from Montreal. Strasburg has been a catalyst for the turnaround in Washington. Even with the questionable way the franchise handled his innings, his long-term potential has put fans in seats and will have them coming back for more.

Games that featured Strasburg on the mound became appointment viewing for all fans of baseball and brought attention to a team — and city — that had been struggling to make noise nationally for many, many years. Even when Strasburg wasn’t playing down the stretch, the media couldn’t stay away from the team because of what it had built around him with players like Ryan Zimmerman, Gio Gonzalez, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper.

Strasburg is expected to be one of the best pitchers in the game for years to come, and the Nationals appear to be here to stay. That’s good news for fans inside the Beltway.

The not-so-good news for fans, however, is that the NHL lockout is keeping the Capitals and Ovechkin from making another playoff push — at least for the time being. The Capitals’ electric star is back home in Russia playing in the KHL for now. That provides relief for the glass boards along the ice but certainly takes some of the fun out of the winter season for fans. Coming off a momentum-building first-round series win over the Bruins in last year’s playoffs, Ovechkin and the Capitals’ rise through the Eastern Conference is on hold.

As for the other tenants of the Verizon Center, the Wizards have had tough luck with their young star.

Wall was a “can’t-miss” prospect coming out of Kentucky and has looked the part when able to get on the court. Through two seasons, Wall is averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 assists per game. But he has not played a game — or practiced — yet this season due to a stress injury to his left knee.

What is most troubling about the timing of the injury is the state of the Wizards as an organization. Wall and the Wizards were able to rattle off six straight wins at the end of last season, with Wall averaging 14.5 points, 11.2 assists and 2.3 steals. Without Wall, the Wizards are 2-13 to start the 2012-13 season, and they lack an identity.

Still, with so much young, marketable talent being showcased in D.C., postseason success shouldn’t be too far away. Whether it’s a Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup or NBA championship, these young players are leading a sports revival that make Washington one of the best sports cities in the country.

Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Texas Christian University, West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers have all either withdrawn from the league or will be doing so in the near future and one school isn’t pleased with the league’s departure policy.

Rutgers is set to move to the Big Ten but the school is still quarreling with the conference over the $10 million exit fee and 27-month waiting period. According to ESPN New York, the Piscataway, N.J. university is suing the conference on the grounds that the fee “arbitrarily applies to some, but not all, of the Big East football schools, and the effect is to penalize certain members if they seek to withdraw.”

Rutgers points to the cases of Syracuse, Pitt, TCU and West Virginia from the summer as situations where schools have been allowed to leave the conference early and that the conference has yet to collect $39.5 million in exit fees from those schools. Both the school and the conference have declined comment, not wanting to comment on pending litigation.

Rutgers announced its intention to swap conferences on Nov. 20. Fellow Big Ten-bound school Maryland is being sued by the ACC with the conference targeting $53 million in exit fees in that case.

Click here to see why realignment is ruining college basketball >>

Thumbnail photo via Flickr/smrphotography87

The problem this year has nothing to do with the national championship but instead is centered around Northern Illinois of the Mid-American Conference getting one of the at-large bids to play in the Orange Bowl. NIU finished 12-1 this year and won the MAC championship to finish 15th in the final BCS standings.

ESPN personalities Jesse Palmer, David Pollack and Kirk Herbstreit all found reasons to disagree with the inclusion of the Huskies over powerhouse programs like Oklahoma. The Sooners were No. 11 in the final standings.

“The fact that Northern Illinois is in the BCS in 2012 is really a sad state for college football and where we are in the current system,” Herbstreit said.

NIU’s lone loss came to an Iowa team that finished 4-8 and with a 2-6 record in the Big Ten.

Check out the trio from ESPN in the video below.

Also, check out the Huskies’ reaction to receiving their bowl bid.

Costas used the platform of the highly rated program to preach about the gun problem facing the country, citing a column by Kansas City-based writer Jason Whitlock. In the column, Whitlock talks about how the country’s gun culture leads to more harm than good and that “if [Belcher] didn’t possess/own a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.”

Belcher, a former University of Maine player, committed suicide Saturday at the Chiefs’ practice facility after fatally shooting Perkins, his girlfriend. The situation left many, including quarterback Brady Quinn, wondering whether or not Belcher could have been helped.

While Costas certainly showed an ability to address the topic head-on and in detail, something that other TV networks were criticized for failing to do Sunday, many people have since panned Costas’ review. His fixation on gun control as being at the heart of the issue had critics throughout the sports world and beyond shaking their heads soon after his soliloquy aired. Others, however, agreed with his take.

To hear Costas’ entire speech from Sunday night, watch the video below.

The Red Sox are coming off a tough season in 2012 with a last-place finish in the American League East and 93 losses, making it a rather forgettable summer. But with the offseason comes new life and a few big-name free agents could change the tune of Red Sox Nation.

In honor of Christmas at Fenway, NESN Daily wants to know which free agent is at the top of your Red Sox wish list this holiday season?

Leading the list of free agents is the versatile former Yankee, Nick Swisher. Swisher has spent the last four seasons with the Yanks, hitting .268 with 105 home runs and 349 RBIs in that span. He can play both right field and first base, both big needs for the Red Sox this offseason.

Next up is Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton. The golden goose of this free-agent class, Hamilton will likely cost a pretty penny to pick up this offseason and would be a splashy pick up for the Red Sox. A power-hitting outfielder, Hamilton hit a career-high 43 home runs this season with 128 RBIs in 148 games for the Rangers.

Another Ranger joining Hamilton on this wish list comes in the form of catcher/first baseman Mike Napoli. Coming off two great offensive seasons in Texas, Napoli has been at the top of many Red Sox fans’ lists due to all of the success he has had against the Red Sox. Conventional wisdom says that joining the Red Sox makes sense for the 81 games per year at Fenway Park.

The one other glaring need for the Red Sox this offseason is in the starting rotation. Zack Greinke is the biggest fish in the pitching pond this offseason and while he might command a record contract, adding someone with his ability to a rotation that already has frontline talent like Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz would make the Red Sox’ staff one of the best in baseball heading into 2013.

Of these four players, which one would you most want to find waiting under your tree on Christmas morning?

The New Jersey Devils star is currently playing in Russia for the the KHL’s first-place team — technically they are tied with Alex Ovechkin and Dynamo Moscow — and Kovalchuck sits in fourth place with 30 points in 23 games. While he may still playing hockey, every player is in the market for disposable income and throwing out some corny dance moves with some ice girls isn’t the worst way to bring it in.

Kovalchuck makes a few cameos throughout the video, but the best is probably his early 90s homage to the boombox-holding fist pump.

Check it out in the video below.

The $587.5 million jackpot was finally won this week with the winning numbers — 5, 23, 16, 22, 29 and the Powerball, 6 — lining up with six of the Royals’ most storied players. The connection gets even eerier when considering one winning ticket was sold at a store in Dearborn, Mo., 35 miles north of the Royals’ home.

The numbers, belonging to George Brett, Mark Gubicza, Bo Jackson, Dennis Leonard, Dan Quisenberry and Willy Wilson,  were unfortunately not a sign of the lottery winner’s fandom. Alas, the ticket was a “quick pick” and chosen at random, furthering the notion that whatever greater force controls the lottery might just be a Royals fan.

Check out a copy of the winning ticket below, courtesy of Yahoo! Sports’ Jeff Passan.

Photo via Twitter/@JeffPassan

Manti Te’o

When the clock ticked down to zero with the Irish leading 64-50, the students began streaming on the court with Te’o leading the charge from one of the end lines. In a sports culture that treats college athletes like professionals, it’s refreshing to see one of the sports biggest stars act like a normal college student — in a good way.

The Irish players were understandably excited about winning, but they were confused as to why the fans came on the court. Notre Dame has won 41 of its last 42 home games and the team expects to win games at home, regardless of whether John Calipari and the defending national champions are sitting on the other bench.

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey called it a “fun night” and sixth-year forward Scott Martin calmly left the floor, only stopping to shake the hand of athletic director Jack Swarbrick.

“I’m old and my knee hurt,” Martin said. “I figured I’d get out the way. I got to experience that last year. Obviously, it wasn’t a huge upset. In our mind, we were closely matched.”

Check out Te’o and the Irish faithful rush the court on Thursday night in the video below.

In a show of true Russian hospitality, Prokhorov sent Eddie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal some Russian hats to cover their “bald heads.” Naturally, Shaq had some fun with the segment by proclaiming that his Russian name is “Vladamir Mandingo” and wishing all of his Russian viewers “spasibo,” which translates to “thank you.”

Perhaps the best moment of this video is the Russian oligarch’s “Go Nets!” statement and the complete lack of emotion in his face. He did look to be picking up some basketball tendencies, however, spinning the hat on his hand throughout the video like it was a basketball on his finger.

Check out Prokhorov’s gift and Shaq’s ridiculous Russian moment in the video below.

A poll published by the Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald on Sunday revealed as much, with Loria posting a paltry 6 percent favorability rating. To put in perspective just how low that is, similar polls showed Cuban dictator Fidel Castro holds a 1 percent rating in the same community, which boasts a large Cuban population.

The survey was made up of 400 baseball fans in South Florida, with 89 percent of the respondents describing themselves as Marlins fans before the trade of Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle to Toronto. Of that majority, 10 percent no longer identify themselves as Marlins fans.

Some other interesting results of the survey:

• 95 percent of those surveyed thought the trade was a fire sale, not a genuine attempt to improve the team.
• 89 percent think Loria has no moral obligation to field a good team because the new stadium was built mostly with public funds.
• 18 percent think that Bud Selig should have blocked the trade.
• 85 percent think the trade will benefit the Blue Jays more than the Marlins.

Perhaps the most damning result of the poll was that 61 percent of those surveyed who identified themselves as season ticket-holders would support a boycott if it would force Loria to sell the team.

With a new ballpark this year and a new-look team coming in next year, maybe what the Marlins really need is a new owner.

Photo via Facebook/Force Jeffrey Loria to Sell the Marlins

With 3:26 to play in the third quarter of the Spurs-Raptors game, Ginobili stole a sloppy pass from Kyle Lowry and turned his attention up the floor. Stuck between the sideline and the Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan, Ginobili pulled out what soccer fans refer to as a “nutmeg” and put the ball through DeRozan’s legs and picked it up on the other side, finishing the play with a miraculous layup and drawing a foul.

While the play may not necessarily adhere to the rule book — Ginobili went out of bounds to get around DeRozan — if there is one thing that has become clear about the NBA, it’s that the rules are secondary when something cool happens.

Check out the video below to see Ginobili channel his inner Messi.

Reggie Bush

Bush won a Super Bowl with the Saints in 2010 and was a big part of the rebuilding process in New Orleans. While Tannehill is far from Drew Brees at this stage, Bush sees some similarities between the two and how their teams have come along.

“It’s like a project almost. You kind of want to build something from scratch,” Bush said, according to FOX Sports Florida. “That’s the same thing we did in New Orleans. We built that team from scratch. I look forward to doing the same thing [with the Dolphins].”

Bush was drafted No. 2 in the 2006 NFL Draft after the Saints went 3-13. Brees joined the team as a free agent that year, and New Orleans went 10-6 and won the Super Bowl in Year 4 of that process.

With this being Year 1 with Tannehill and head coach Joe Philbin, Bush said he would like to be around to see where this goes for the Dolphins.

“I would love to be back here,” said Bush, whose contract is up at the end of the season. “I love Miami. I love the city. I love the football team. [I'm] really enjoying playing here in this city, and I really enjoy building something special. I want to bring a Super Bowl to Miami and kind of restore some of that greatness about the Miami Dolphins.”

The Dolphins have not made the playoffs since 2008 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2000. But with Tannehill looking like the answer for them at the quarterback position, Miami could be closer to being a contender than many like to believe.

For fans in Boston, look no further than the Bruins, Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics when taking stock of such wonderful things. Each team has given something to be grateful for this year, including timely trades, new contracts and even a few departures that will bring good news down the road.

So, in the spirit of the season, we have taken the liberty of putting together a comprehensive list of the most important things all Boston sports fans should keep in mind before diving into that 22-pound turkey, some mashed potatoes and a heaping helping of stuffing.

You will not find the NHL lockout, Eli Manning or anyone associated with the Montreal Canadiens on this list, but you will find a few things to hold onto as we wrap up the 2012 sports calender.

Click here to see the Top 10 things Boston sports fans should be thankful for>>

Boston fans have been blessed with plenty of positive things in the past year with the Patriots being in first place in the AFC East, the Red Sox bringing back slugger David Ortiz for two more years, Rajon Rondo is at the peak of his game for the Celtics and the future of the Boston Bruins in net is in the capable hands of Tuukka Rask.

But which of these things are you, the fans, most thankful for?

The Patriots have steadied the ship after a rocky start and now stand at 7-3 and atop the division despite have one of the worst defenses in the NFL this season. Tom Brady is once again looking like one of the best quarterbacks in the league and an influx of talent at the running back position has made things fly more smoothly on the offensive side of the ball.

The Red Sox signed Ortiz up for two more seasons in hopes he can replicate the type of production he was putting up prior to being shelved with an Achilles injury. Now that he finally has the security he was looking for, Ortiz can get back to being the lovable slugger that Boston fans have grown to adore over the years.

The Celtics may have let Ray Allen get away, but Rondo has been there to take his place — if he hadn’t already. Rondo is once again racking up double-doubles like they’re going out of style and, when healthy, has the Celtics playing a fun brand of basketball.

The Bruins may not be on the ice yet, but when they do lace ‘em up they can take solace in the fact that they have a proven goalie between the pipes in Rask. Tim Thomas was plagued with inconsistency this past season and decided to take a year away from the game, leaving the spot open for Rask.

So in the spirit of the season, which of these situations are you most thankful for?

Bill Parcells and Steve Tasker told the Buffalo News that leaving Gronk on the unit despite the huge lead is commonplace and that the injury was simply an unfortunate byproduct of the game. Parcells, Bill Belichick‘s mentor, saw nothing wrong with keeping the young star out there.

“I’m going to stick up for Bill Belichick on that,” Parcells told the Buffalo newspaper. “I know what Gronkowski is doing in that game. I had Lawrence Taylor in the game every time at the same position. Fans and media assign the degree of importance that they wish to assign. A coach assigns the degree of importance.”

While Parcells brings the viewpoint of a head coach, Tasker has the take of a special teams player. Tasker played 12 seasons in the NFL and made seven Pro Bowl appearances for his work on special teams, most notably as a punt coverage gunner.

Tasker understands protecting a team’s best players, but when it comes to special teams, he says an inherent risk is involved.

“You don’t substitute for a guy on extra point,” Tasker said. “No question it’s unfortunate he got hurt. But the reaction has been ridiculous. Even if he was benched and they had Tom Brady out and Wes Welker on the sideline and they had decided to pack it in and furl the sails, you don’t have backups for the extra point. All of those No. 1 offensive linemen have to go back out there and protect.”

Tasker also talked about the depth of personnel involved in the special teams game. He said the 46-man active roster needs to account for 66 different special teams positions on kickoffs, kick returns, punts, punt returns, field goals and field goal blocks. With that many players needing to get on the field, big-name players will inevitably be put in the line of fire.

“You’re going to have to use the best guys available. You’ve got starters sprinkled in there, and you try to get maybe 10 snaps a game out of those guys,” Tasker said. “You need to give a break to the other 44 guys who are trying to run 60 yards and tackle or drop back 30 yards and block.”

But what if Belichick had simply subbed Gronk out for someone like Visanthe Shiancoe? Parcells isn’t buying that idea, either.

“Let’s say you put that guy in there, and he doesn’t do his job,” the two-time Super Bowl winner said. “And let’s say a rusher comes free, and your kicker kicks, and the rusher hits the kicker in the knee, and he’s out for the year. How’s that?”

Football comes down to consistency, and sometimes consistency comes with a steep price. Gronkowski is expected to miss between four and eight weeks, setting up a possible return for the playoffs.

Parcells photo via Facebook/Bill Parcells
Tasker photo via Facebook/Steve Tasker

Left with the unenviable task of building a program from a team with seven seniors and no incoming freshmen, Donahue got down to business with an eye toward the future. After an NIT appearance behind Reggie Jackson in 2010, the Eagles stumbled to a 9-22 record with a roster headlined by nine — yes, nine — freshmen and no seniors.

The fruit of Donahue’s labor is a competitive Eagles roster that is all his, with two freshmen leaping off the page immediately. The first was Patrick Heckmann, a guard from Mainz, Germany, who paced the team before injuries and illness cut his season short. The other was Anderson, a to -100 recruit from California, whose play landed him atop the freshman heap in most statistical categories and on the All-ACC freshman team.

Anderson is a popular pick in ACC circles to be the league’s breakout performer this season, and it isn’t hard to see why. An athletic forward, Anderson has a skill set that lends itself to playing on a team like BC, where he needs to do a little bit of everything. He took the first step down that road Saturday against Florida International, putting up a staggering 29-point, 17-rebound performance as the Eagles took their opener, 84-70.

Performances like that just don’t happen all the time. Regardless of the opponent, anytime someone submits a 29-17 game, especially at a program looking for something to believe in like BC, it is time for fans to take notice.

Whereas last season was baptism by fire for this young group of Eagles, this season will be a year where they do more of the burning. Armed with experience, chemistry and a coach who has grown with them, BC will be a team to watch and will likely steal a game or two that makes college basketball fans around the country wonder how they can check this team out. Anderson has Adam Morrison-esque potential to be this season’s under-the-radar player who takes the country by storm. He is just that good.

Anderson’s commitment to BC was a bit of a coup, as the former California Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year chose Chestnut Hill over West Coast powerhouses Arizona, Cal, Washington and San Diego State. Donahue’s selling point was likely that Anderson would be the team’s best player immediately and help elevate the program back to a national level. Through at least one game, Anderson looked poised to make good on both parts of that plan.

Donahue has also set himself up well for the future with his previous two recruiting classes — and one high-profile transfer. Despite losing last season’s second-leading scorer, Matt Humphries, to transfer, Donahue picked up former Notre Dame sharpshooter Alex Dragicevich (sitting out this season) to add to a freshman class of prep star Olivier Hanlan and Joe Rahon, both of whom played big minutes against FIU.

Though young, this Boston College team has an opportunity to do something that Eagles teams have always struggled to do: be relevant in the Boston sports world. If any fans were looking for a bandwagon to jump on, look no further than Steve Donahue, Ryan Anderson and Boston College basketball.

Mike Leach

Marquess Wilson left the Cougars prior to their 44-36 loss to UCLA on Saturday citing the coaching staff’s preference to “belittle, intimidate and humiliate” the players as the chief cause. Wilson also claims the staff was physically abusive, leading to Monday’s announcement from the Pac-12 that they would be investigating the matter.

The investigation was called for by WSU president Elson Floyd who said in a statement that the review from both the conference and the athletic department “should get to the bottom of the matter.” When asked about the situation after the game on Saturday, Leach elected not to talk about it.

“I’m not going to talk about anybody that’s not here, you know. I coach the guys that are here,” said Leach, according to the report. “I don’t have anything to say about anybody that’s not here.”

When asked if he denies abusing Wilson, Leach’s response was combative.

“Absolutely. Next question,” said Leach. “And if you expect to ask another one, you won’t keep walking down that path.”

Wilson set single-season school records in both catches (82) and receiving yards (1,388) last season, and his 52 catches for 813 yards in 2012 are tops on the team. The Cougars are 2-8 this season and 0-7 in Pac-12 play.

Jeff Fisher

The Rams deactivated rookie wide receiver Chris Givens and rookie cornerback Janoris Jenkins ahead of Sunday’s game against the 49ers for breaking an unspecified team rule. Sports Illustrated’s Peter King revealed in his weekly column that the two had broken curfew during the week and as punishment were sentenced to run the stairs at Candlestick Park.

“They weren’t going to play, so they needed a workout,” Fisher said, according to King. “And I guess you can say it was part punitive. We still have to sort some things out about what happened, but hopefully this helps them get the message.”

The punishment, which may not have been as steep as the stairs at the old stadium by the bay, had a definite effect on the game as both Givens and Jenkins factor prominently in what the Rams like to do. Givens is the team’s best big-play receiver, averaging 25.6 yards per catch, while Jenkins is tied for the team lead in passes defended with nine.

A big play by Givens or a timely defensive play by Jenkins could have turned the tide and stolen the Rams a crucial divisional game. But instead, the rookie tandem hung out on the sidelines while the Rams and 49ers played to the first tie in an NFL game since 2008.