Sports Fact and Book Rec of the Day 1/19/2008

1/19/2003:
Looking to close Veterans Stadium with a bang, the Philadelphia Eagles go out with a whimper, losing the NFC title game to Tampa Bay, 27-10. After the Eagles score on their opening drive, it's all Tampa Bay. A 71-yard pass play from Brad Johnson to Joe Jurevicius sets up the Buccaneers' first TD, Keyshawn Johnson catches a nine-yard TD pass a little bit later and cornerback Ronde Barber scores on a 92-yard interception return to clinch matters with three minutes left. They'll go on to rout the Oakland Raiders as well, 48-21, in the Super Bowl to win their first world title in head coach Jon Gruden's first year with the team.

Birthdays:
Bill Mlkvy b. 1931
O.J. Anderson b. 1957
Stefan Edberg b. 1966
Junior Seau b. 1969
Tyrone Wheatley b. 1972

1996:
The No. q-ranked Tennessee Volunteers women's basketball team knocked off second-ranked Vanderbilt, 85-82.

"Among the dozen women's basketball teams in the Southeastern Conference, eight still have Lady in their nicknames. But the spectacle that unfolds when any two of them meet will not be mistaken for a Helena Bonham-Carter movie." -Alexander Wolff, February 26, 1996

FEELS GOOD

The seventh book (and what some say is the best yet) in the delightful No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series, Blue Shoes and Happiness finds our heroine, Precious Ramotswe, continuing to tackle life, love, friendship, and mystery in Botswana. Smith, in his infinitely gentle way, is not afraid to tackle real evil and human perfidy in his work, yet we are always charmed and the enduring values of life prevail.

BLUE SHOES AND HAPPINESS, by Alexander McCall Smith (Pantheon, 2006)